Jekatyerina Barabas

Jekatyerina Barabas is a veteran journalist and film critic from Kharkiv, Ukraine, who gained international attention after her daring escape from Russia to France to avoid imprisonment under draconian laws imposed by the Russian government. Following her arrest in February 2023 for allegedly spreading 'false information' about the Russian military, she was placed under house arrest but managed to flee, traversing over 2800 kilometers through secret routes with the help of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Barabas has been an outspoken critic of the Russian regime, highlighting the severe restrictions on freedom of expression in her home country. Now in Paris, she continues to advocate for press freedom and the plight of those still imprisoned in Russia for their views.